"study of organic tissues," 1847, from Gk. histos "warp, web," lit. "that which causes to stand," from histasthai "to stand," from PIE *sta- "to stand" (see stet). Taken by 19c. medical writers as the best Gk. root from which to form terminology for "tissue."
Main Entry: his·tol·o·gy Pronunciation: his-'täl-&-jE Function: noun Inflected Form: plural-gies 1: a branch of anatomy that deals with the minute structure of animal and plant tissues as discernible with the microscope —compare GROSS ANATOMY 2: a treatise on histology 3: tissue structure or organization —his·to·log·i·cal/"his-t&-'läj-i-k&l/orhis·to·log·ic/-'läj-ik/adjective —his·to·log·i·cal·ly/-i-k(&-)lE/adverb
histology his·tol·o·gy (hĭ-stŏl'ə-jē) n. The science concerned with the minute structure of tissues and organs in relation to their function. Also called microanatomy.
his'to·log'i·cal (hĭs'tə-lŏj'ĭ-kəl) or his'to·log'icadj. his·tol'o·gistn.